Best domains for this character?

[Talya]

Gestalt - Dread Necromancer//Crusader/Divine Crusader/Ruby Knight Vindicator.

(White Raven Maneuvers + an army of darkness = win. Crusader melee badassery + DN's oddly melee-focused class abilities = more win.)

Let's take two possibilities:
1) The DM enforces the Wee Jas RKV requirement, limiting me to Death, Domination, Inquisition, Law, Magic, Mind, or Repose. (There's actually some nice stuff in some of those for a melee necro, I wouldn't mind this, I just am unsure what to pick)

2) The DM does not enforce the Wee Jas RKV requirement. This opens it up to a lot of new options. I'd like to keep it thematically appropriate though with an queen-of-the-damned anti-hero.

[Eldariel]

I don't she why the Goddess of Magic (and Death) wouldn't offer the Spell-domain alongside Magic. That's pretty Gimme far as Divine Crusader goes. Magic is, of course, quite good too. Death is really redundant with Dread Necro, so that's prolly pretty pointless. Mind, Law, Inquisition and Domination basically only offer a single spell in various forms so those are not very useful; the domains really don't offer too much in the ways of use.

Undeath-domain offers the few things Dread Necro misses but I'd probably be more inclined to Arcane Disciple it than Divine Crusader it to be honest. All you want out of there is Desecrate and level 3 Animate Dead, after all.

[Talya]

Undeath-domain offers the few things Dread Necro misses but I'd probably be more inclined to Arcane Disciple it than Divine Crusader it to be honest. All you want out of there is Desecrate and level 3 Animate Dead, after all.


My wisdom is 10-12. Can't do anything about that. (rolled stats are 17/12/-/14/12/18. Magic-blooded template, and possibly lesser-aasimar combine nicely before necropolitan.) That leaves arcane disciple impossible. This is a charisma/strength focused character. Also, I need a class with charisma-based independant divine casting for RKV to raise.

Spell domain sounds good. Anyspell with Divine Crusader would be very nice...That would mesh well with the feat Corrupt Arcana. Can grab Boccob's Blessed Book and start keeping a spellbook of arcane spells (including the better vile spells...the character is Necropolitan and immune to the backlash ability score damage from them.)

[Eldariel]

My wisdom is 10-12. Can't do anything about that. (rolled stats are 17/12/-/14/12/18. Magic-blooded template, and possibly lesser-aasimar combine nicely before necropolitan.) That leaves arcane disciple impossible. This is a charisma/strength focused character. Also, I need a class with charisma-based independant divine casting for RKV to raise.

Well, you only need 12-13 Wis for Arcane Disciple to accomplish what you desire (the key spell is Desecrate on level 2 and getting Animate Dead as a level 3, rather than level 4 spell for Dread Necro). In case you decide not to go Magic-Blooded, it seems like a rather good road to tread. Hell, could perhaps go Middle-Aged; you have no Con, your Str modifier would remain static and it'd help with regards to Cha, and grant you that extra point of Wis for Animate Dead. And Lesser Aasimar has Wisdom-bonus too; Arcane Disciple seems more than workable.


Spell domain sounds good. Anyspell with Divine Crusader would be very nice...That would mesh well with the feat Corrupt Arcana. Can grab Boccob's Blessed Book and start keeping a spellbook of arcane spells (including the better vile spells...the character is Necropolitan and immune to the backlash ability score damage from them.)

Heh. Yeah. Spell-domain is really nice on Divine Crusader.

[Talya]

Well, you only need 12-13 Wis for Arcane Disciple to accomplish what you desire (the key spell is Desecrate on level 2 and getting Animate Dead as a level 3, rather than level 4 spell for Dread Necro). In case you decide not to go Magic-Blooded, it seems like a rather good road to tread. Hell, could perhaps go Middle-Aged; you have no Con, your Str modifier would remain static and it'd help with regards to Cha, and grant you that extra point of Wis for Animate Dead. And Lesser Aasimar has Wisdom-bonus too; Arcane Disciple seems more than workable.



Heh. Yeah. Spell-domain is really nice on Divine Crusader.

We're starting at 15. The level i get animate dead at probably doesn't matter. (Especially as I will use Plague of Undeath instead, as it's cheaper on my WBL and maximizes the hit dice on my minions.) Also, I could prepare vile spells in my divine crusader spell slots as well.

[Eldariel]

We're starting at 15. The level i get animate dead at probably doesn't matter. (Especially as I will use Plague of Undeath instead, as it's cheaper on my WBL and maximizes the hit dice on my minions.) Also, I could prepare vile spells in my divine crusader spell slots as well.

Ah. Well, then, that's of course a different matter. Doesn't change the rest of the considerations, though. :smallwink: Desecrate is still v. good though whether it's worth a feat is another matter, I suppose.

[Talya]

Ah. Well, then, that's of course a different matter. Doesn't change the rest of the considerations, though. :smallwink: Desecrate is still v. good though whether it's worth a feat is another matter, I suppose.

there's a 2000gp ring that grants desecrate bonuses on your created undead, as well.

[Eldariel]

there's a 2000gp ring that grants desecrate bonuses on your created undead, as well.

Seems like a much better idea; feats are rare enough as it stands.

[Talya]

Full plan:
Character: magic-blooded Human or Lesser Aasimar. At level 3 taking Necropolitan. No more con score.

First side of the gestalt: Dread Necromancer 15. I'm not multiclassing out of that until at least 20 (don't need the lich template.)

Second side of the gestalt is where it gets fancy:
Tentatively it's Crusader 6/RKV 1/divine crusader (spell domain) 1/RKV +6/Warblade 1

RKV increases divine crusader casting.

Divine Crusader gives me the spell domain, including the Anyspell lines.
I'm also taking the "Corrupt Arcana" feat which allows me to memorize Vile spells from BoVD. I plan on buying Boccob's book and keeping an arcane spellbook comprised of spells i want to memorize with Anyspell, and Vile Spells I might use.

Some other stuff is up for grabs, but she's going to be very melee focused, surprisingly. Other feats include: Adaptive Style, Power Attack, Divine Might, Extra Granted Maneuver, Death Devotion, and Undead Leadership.

(That's 7 feats, I'd have to drop one if I go Lesser Aasimar, unless they allow flaws. I may drop death devotion for versatile spellcaster...nice on divine crusader.)

[WinWin]

You could use your Divine Crusader casting to prepare Corrupt spells. That may save you a feat.

[Talya]

You could use your Divine Crusader casting to prepare Corrupt spells. That may save you a feat.

This is true.

[Analytica]

the character is Necropolitan and immune to the backlash ability score damage from them.)

Actually no, the WotC FAQ states they take all such damage to Charisma instead.

Luck domain has Miracle at the end, which can emulate most else.

[Talya]

Hey, if an arcane/divine spellcaster takes arcane disciple, and they also have domain slots, could they prepare the new domain they have received in their domain slots as well?

[faceroll]

Undeath is a nice domain for the bonus feat, that's about it.

Also, at level 15, I don't see why you couldn't drop a 2nd level spell slot on owl's wisdom or 4,000gp on an item of wisdom so you can get higher level spells from arcane disciple. Just pick a domain with good out of battle spells.

[deuxhero]

On deity requirement: Isn't the example RKV not of the right deity anyways?

[Talya]

Surprise! An example character is not legal!

They do suggest you should consider the class adaptable to other dieties though.


Spell Domain is really ideal here. Anyspell, Greater Anyspell, Limited Wish rock. As does a crusader in an antimagic field. I do wish i could add a second domain to divine crusader casting, but with the way this is coming together (DM allowed dual progression PrCs for those of us not using any homebrew classes), I won't have room.

Currently looking at:
Crusader 6/RKV 1/Divine Crusader 1/RKV +5/Swordsage 2//Dread Necromancer 10/Tainted Scholar 2/Mystic Theurge 3.

Dread Necromancer casting - 15. Divine Crusader casting - 8. (Level 8 spells!)

Feats (8 w/flaws): Power Attack, Divine Might, Extra Granted Maneuver, Versatile Spellcaster, Adaptive Style, Aescetic Mage, Corpsecrafter, One more, maybe...Arcane Disciple? Also...Corrupt Arcana (Tainted Scholar bonus).

Since she's undead, if her creator was a corpsecrafter dread necromancer, she can have several bonuses.


Crusader Maneuvers: (1) White Raven – Douse the Flames, DS - Vanguard Strike, SD - Charging Minotaur. (2) SD – Mountain Hammer, WR – Tactical Strike, (3) WR – White Raven Tactics, DS – Defensive Rebuke
Crusader Stances: (1) DS - Iron Guard’s Glare, WR – Leading the Charge
Ruby Knight Vindicator Maneuvers: (5) WR – Flanking Maneuver, (6) WR – Order Forged from Chaos, (7) SH – Shadow Blink
Ruby Knight Vindicator Stances: (3) WR – Tactics of the Wolf, (6) DS – Aura of Perfect Order
Swordsage Maneuvers: (2) DM – Action before Thought, (3) DM – Mind over Body, (5) TC - Pouncing Charge, Dancing Mongoose (6) DM – Greater Insightful Strike, TC – Rabid Bear Strike
Swordsage Stances: (5) DM – Hearing the Air, (1) SH - Child of Shadow

Statblock: 22/16/-/14/12/24 before gear. Can get wisdom up to 18 with WBL, not enough to get miracle out of a domain spell. Maybe take travel devotion instead? (could be great when i get RKV 7.)

[WinWin]

Corpsecrafter befefits do not apply to the necropolitan template. They only apply to undead created with spells. The necropolitan template is not defined as a spell, nor are supernatural abilities that allow the creation of undead.

not sure about the interaction of corpsecrafter feats with spell-like abilities.

[Talya]

Corpsecrafter befefits do not apply to the necropolitan template. They only apply to undead created with spells. The necropolitan template is not defined as a spell, nor are supernatural abilities that allow the creation of undead.

not sure about the interaction of corpsecrafter feats with spell-like abilities.

Spell doesn't specify that. "Undead you raise or create are tougher than normal."

[Amnestic]

Actually no, the WotC FAQ

...is not RAW, and it's been wrong before.

[WinWin]

Corrupt spells:

Corruption costs are similar to spell components, however...

Corruption costs are paid after the spell has expired. This is important, because unlike the ability to speak, move your hands or supply material components, corruption costs only come into play after the spell has taken effect.

In the case of instantaneous spells, corruption costs are paid immediately. In the case of spells with a duration, they are paid after the duration has expired.

Undead lack a constitution score. this makes them immune to ability damage and drain (even though their stat block makes them immune to drain only; take this up with your DM for a clarification. Regardless, Necropolitans can heal ability damage) From what I have seen, corruption costs are mainly ability damage and drain. So creatures without a Constitution score get a free pass when it comes to Corrupt Spells. Yay.

Regarding Corpsecrafter:

Corpsecrafter feats are applied only to undead raised or created with necromantic spells. Necropolitans are not created with necromantic spells, at least I can find no spell that provides that effect, necromantic or otherwise.